


these i can promise

by Weatherbug02



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Author Wanted To Unironically Reference A Meme But Didn't So You Should Thank Her, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Fluff, Moving In Together, Naboo - Freeform, Space IKEA, Treacherous Interior Design, canonverse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-19
Updated: 2018-07-19
Packaged: 2019-06-12 18:53:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,312
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15346344
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Weatherbug02/pseuds/Weatherbug02
Summary: "Ben and Rey’s cohabitation hadn’t started with a conversation. It hadn’t started with much at all."





	these i can promise

Ben and Rey’s cohabitation hadn’t started with a conversation. It hadn’t started with much at all.

It was small things at first. Rey didn’t sleep over much, usually leaving before the sun rose so as not to raise an suspicion in the Resistance base, but she did leave _things._ Hair bands, arm wraps, socks. Ben was always a bit of a neat freak, and when she left these things in his room, they needed a place. The obvious answer would be back in her room where they belonged, but the idea of sending them back made his chest ache, so then he cleared out a drawer and gingerly sat her belongings inside there. From there on out, it had been only Rey’s drawer.

Slowly it filled up with clothes, some left accidentally and some brought over purposely for convenience.

Ben was convinced that that would be the end of it, but one day he’d gotten a toothbrush for her to use in his ‘fresher. She’d smiled when she saw it, and that was the moment he knew he wanted her to stay. Forever.

*

Eventually, Rey stayed the night more and more often, and the more it happened, the more Ben actually found himself _sleeping._ He’d always slept alone, if “slept” was anything close to what he did. “Lying awake because nightmares plagued every bit of sleep he got” was probably a more accurate description.

Rey held him mostly, his back pressed to her chest with her arms wrapped around his waist and face buried into his neck, but by morning they were usually face-to-face, breaths mingling and noses bumping against one another. It was sickly sweet, but Ben found himself afraid more often than not, some kind of foreboding feeling that all of this was temporary, some kind of lie encompassing his mind.

“Never,” she’d said one night, just brushing over the thinnest layers of his mind. “I’ll never leave you, Ben.”

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep.”

*

She’d learn eventually, he knew, that sometimes love was a traitorous feeling. It started wars, tore families apart, struck fear into the hearts of even the strongest men. But humans were foolish. Foolish and desperate and so sick for the drug that only love provided. Ben was one of them.

Rey had trusted him once, and it had been a mistake. Who was to say this time would be any different? She had no reason to think that he was anything other than a monster, but still, she was here. Sometimes Ben wondered if it was him changing or if it was her presence that made him softer, her touch that contained the evil inside him, but he couldn’t deny the fact that he was a different person.

He smiled more now, not just at Rey. At his mother, at Chewie, at the cook in the mess hall who gave him extra pie because she knew it was his favorite. Sometimes he laughed too, but that was rare to hear. He was forced to get along with her friends, and it usually worked until it didn’t. FN-2187—Finn—wasn’t bad, once they’d gotten past the attempted murder part of their relationship. Neither was Rose, who treated Ben mostly normal, except for their first meeting, which consisted only of a shriek and a slap in the face. He was suddenly starting to feel like he was an actual person, not some piece of a puzzle that the Force kept trying to fit into the wrong place.

Rey made him feel human, and somehow that was everything.

*

They were in bed together one day when she asked it.

“Wouldn’t it be easier if I stayed here?”

Ben only glanced around his quarters, cramped and tiny in comparison to what he was used to. It was barely enough for him, and he doubted adding a second person would be a good idea. And yet, the way she looked at him with those bright eyes filled with such _hope_ left him putty in her hands.

“Maybe, if you stop hogging the blankets.”

She giggled and flipped all of them over on him. “I think I can make that happen.”

*

In reality, Rey didn’t actually need to ask permission, but he was glad she did. This way, the question wasn’t up in the air, taunting him to ask her even when he was internally dying from the possibility of rejection. This way, he didn’t have to hold his breath after he got home from whatever mundane work he was tasked with that day and pray she was in the room waiting for him.

And, yeah, some days she wasn’t there, stuck doing whatever maintenance the Resistance was inept at that day, but the simple promise that she _would_ be there was enough for him. On those days, he made himself busy, tidying up the room that didn’t need tidying, reading holonovels he’d read through more than he could count, practicing lightsaber form in a space that barely had open space on the floor. It wasn’t much, but it was enough.

When Rey did finally show up, he made sure she felt especially welcome to _their_ room.

*

Except Ben knew one day that she’d come to her senses.

“I can’t do this anymore.”

Ben had just gotten out of the shower, towel wrapped around his waist as the tips of his wet hair dripped onto his shoulders. He froze in place, watching as she sat perched on the edge of their bed with her head in her hands. “Are… you okay?”

“No, I’m not. I need space.”

This was it then. Rey had finally realized just how fucked up he was and decided to leave. A part of him wanted to object, get on his knees and beg her to stay, but another part was glad. She wouldn’t be stuck with the disaster that was Ben Solo anymore. Now that was the real thing to be celebrating.

“I see,” he said, trying to ignore the tightening in his throat. This was fine, this was good. She’d be okay, and that was all that mattered.

Rey looks up with him, not looking nearly as distraught as he figured she would be. “You’re okay with it?”

 _No._ “Of course. Whatever you want.”

“Oh, okay. I figured the first thing we should do is tell Leia, and then I’ll start packing.”

Tell Leia? That didn’t make much sense, but he knew Rey had a close relationship with his mother, so he shouldn’t so surprised. Though, he can’t imagine how awkward it would be if she maintained that relationship while they were broken up. “Alright.”

Ben waited for a lot of things. Maybe for an awkward handshake or a simple nod before she left the room for one of the last time. Maybe even a goodbye hug. What he didn’t expect, though, was Rey to break out into the biggest smile and jump up to wrap her arms around his neck. “Thank you so much. I can’t wait to start looking. I’m not sure what the demand is for real estate is, but I’m sure we can find something.” When Ben didn’t return the hug, Rey pulled away, brushing away some of the wet hair that covered his eyes. “Is everything okay?”

He shook his head. “I’m sorry, I’m confused.”

“What are you confused about?”

“Aren’t you breaking up with me?”

Rey gave him the most incredulous look and just laughed. “What? Of course not. What kind of idea is that?”

“I thought—”

She rolled her eyes, sliding her palms up to rest on his cheeks. “The next time you decide we’re broken up, let me know about it first, will you?”

*

“Are you certain this is a good idea?”

Leia’s concerned voice was nothing unexpected, but as Ben and Rey sat together in her office, hands clasped together as Leia’s critical gaze cast down on them, he found himself more nervous than he had any right to be. It wasn’t like the woman could control their actions, and even though Ben still had protested about getting her consent for moving someplace else, her blessing would just make things a lot easier.

“We are,” Rey said, grip on his hand really unnecessarily tight. “We’ve been together a while now, and we’ve just outgrown the base. The galaxy doesn’t need us here at a moment’s notice anymore, and I just want spend the remainder of my life experiencing the things I never got to on Jakku.”

Leia nodded and then settled her eyes on Ben, which was _always_ the most terrifying thing the woman could do, even when he was a child. “How about you, Ben? I know why Rey wants to leave, but what about you? Are you going to behave?”

He cast his eyes away. “I’m not a child.”

“I know you’re not, but I’d still like an honest answer.”

Ben was half-tempted to deny her, get up and leave right now, but then he noticed Rey’s eyes on him as well, searching for an answer. He sighed. “I know I’ve made some bad choices, Mother. I’m an adult, but I’ve never gotten to live as one. I really do think it’s time to let me experience the world from a different perspective.”

Leia considered them both for a moment before letting out a sigh. “Alright. You two can do whatever you think is right, but don’t ever hesitate coming back here if you need to. Any idea where you’re going to live?”

Ben looked at Rey, who just gave a sheepish grin. “We hadn’t exactly thought of that yet.”

“Don’t worry about it. I think I may have just the place.”

*

The moment they stepped foot in the house, Rey burst into tears.

For a moment, Ben contemplated whether or not he should be concerned, but then she was smiling and wrapping her arms around him. “You like it?”

“Are you kidding?” She squeezed him tighter for a moment before pulling away to hold him at arm’s length. “I love it. I love it so much.”

“I knew you would.”

*

When his mother gave them the estate on Naboo, Ben legitimately thought she was joking. His grandmother was practically a deity on the planet, and that estate had to have been one of the most well-preserved buildings there. He’d been there more than once, but each time it felt like more of a museum than a home. That was why he was even more confused by the next thing she added:

_“I’ll have all the furniture put in storage. Furnish it to your and Rey’s liking.”_

True to her word, the estate was bare, a completely blank canvas for them to start their life on. In a way, it felt like sacrilege, destroying something that could never be brought back, but his mother assured them it was fine.

_“Your grandmother would’ve wanted it used, made happy again. I know she would’ve wanted it for you and the woman you love.”_

Ben wasn’t sure if this was where they’d spend the rest of their lives, but he had a feeling it was a pretty damn good start.

*

“Okay, so let me get this straight. We’re going to a planet that is entirely a furniture store? Sounds fake to me.”

“It’s exactly how it sounds.”

Rey looked like she was about to protest again, but then they dropped out of lightspeed and were right there in front of the most legendary store in existence. “You weren’t kidding. It actually is an entire planet.”

“A dwarf planet, but yes.”

*

Rey and Ben had been through a lot. They’d gotten into countless fights, thrown some vile words around, gotten into more than one physical altercation before they were together. It was what made them stronger as a couple and, arguably, more understanding toward each other.

Except there was no predicting exactly how far this store would drive them apart.

“No one likes minimalism, Ben!”

“Yes, they do! It’s a very popular design choice!”

“Really? Then tell me three people who like it.”

He was silent, which just made her raise an eyebrow. Ben might as well just admit defeat now. “I can’t think of any, but you wouldn’t find a million results on the HoloWeb if it weren’t a thing. Besides, I doubt you’ve ever met anyone who likes… whatever that is, anyway!”

“I lived on Jakku, you insensitive bastard! Of course I’ve never met someone who likes this specific style! Sorry to disappoint you for not being a social butterfly!” Without another word, Rey set off back into the lamp section, leaving Ben holding the pillows alone.

*

“I’m sorry for yelling at you,” she said as they were flying off in the Falcon.

“Yeah, I know.”

*

If anything, Rey and Ben were extremely lucky they had a staff of people to put the furniture together because he was ninety-nine percent sure their relationship wouldn’t have survived otherwise.

They put the bed together first upon request, but as much as he would’ve loved christen it that night, Ben wasn’t exactly okay with having sex in his grandmother’s house quite yet. That would definitely take some time getting used to. Instead, they put the sheet on best they could and collapsed on the bed immediately, curling around each other.

*

Compromise was never either of their strong suits, Ben used to getting exactly what he wanted and Rey too competitive to want anything other than exactly the opposite of what he did. Usually it wasn’t a problem, but this was something else entirely.

Somehow they’ve managed not breaking up so far, but now this was the real challenge.

“Ben, we’re not putting your grandfather’s molten helmet at the center of our coffee table with an urn of the ashes of your enemies.”

“Why?”

Rey just give him the _look_.

*

“What if it was just a small urn?”

“No.”

**Author's Note:**

> this is so sad alexa play despacito
> 
> https://reyloday.tumblr.com


End file.
